The Peformanator

It's as if they arrived here on earth from a time far ahead in the future. They look like us, yet their impact is somehow very different than the majority of the employees who e work with each day. At times they are quite charming and appear to have a solid network of peers. But, something is just...well...different about them.

Read the complete post over at Performance I Create today...

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

Big Data v Big Information

I hear a lot about big data. You probably do too. I have visions of a giant warehouse filled with green bar paper stacked from floor to ceiling. That's not what big data looks like of course. I mean, I don't think that's what big data looks like.

  

Applying Big Data to Human Resources

Here's a question I've been wanting to ask for some time, but quite candidly was too embarrassed to utter the words: what does big data have to do with my role as an HR leader?

More specifically, how am I supposed to apply all this data to my specific organization? Is there a magic formula I've somehow missed? Am I the only one not in on the big data joke? I'm okay being a little slow on things (I've gotten used to it by now)...but really... 

Is there an obvious answer out there...somewhere?

I Need Information...Information...Information

I can at least appreciate the fact that with the explosion of the digital world there is almost, be default, a staggering amount of data that can be...well...culled. What I'm not so sure about is whether or not all of that data is necessarily useful? Perhaps the marketers out there know that I love social media, HR, hockey and really good German beer. But quite honestly, that doesn't do me any good when I'm trying to impact my corporate culture. Or does it?

I guess I just don't know...yet.

Metrics Still Matter...Right?

One of the things I'm afraid of is that since I've already apparently missed the big data train, that maybe metrics are now passé too. Could that be true? I like using the various dashboards and colored graphs that reliably turn my data into information so I can make real life decisions. That is still the right thing to do, isn't it?

I think I'm more confused than ever.

How About You

What role does big data play in the life of your organization? Does it help you analyze your health plan spend against a larger cohort? Does it allow you to plan service line changes or launch new products? Does it change the culture of your company? If so, how do you know?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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3 Deadly Words

As leaders we often don't feel any different than how we did earlier in our careers. Sure, we appreciate our greater scope of responsibility, we know the strategic direction our organizations must work toward more than most, and we certainly have a longer to do list than ever before. What often gets overlooked however is the significant impact we have with our words and behavior.

Yes, we know that how we interact with others is important, but in senior leadership roles the impact of what we say and how we say it is magnified on a scale we simply can not appreciate.

What terms from many years ago still ring true when we consider the missteps that seem to continue to plague so many leader today? What can these words tell us that make perfect sense?

Dolos
Treachery, deceit, no cunning, no guile

In your leadership practice are you focused on raising others up; or, are you narrowly focused on how you will be perceived for that next promotion? If your updates are filled with "I this..." and "I that..." then my guess is that next promotion is a long way off.

Loidoria
No verbal abuse, no snapping back, no getting even in our relationships

In the heat of the moment do you remain calm? Are you able to appreciate how stressful it is for a member of your team to share bad news with you? Do you think they are concerned with your reaction? How about you surprise them next time and don't over react, but instead brainstorm realistic options to keep moving forward.

Apeileo
We are not to threaten to bully to coerce in our relationships

All too often I see leaders treat their employees unfairly without even saying a word. Their bullying behavior speaks for itself, and everyone around them is keenly aware. The ancient perspective that fear breeds respect is long dead.

Treating people with respect breeds respect. If you're still focused on a command and control style, your time in leadership is short.

How About You
What words do you chose when giving feedback to your team? How do you engage your staff to help them maximize their potential (which by the way typically means your organization is more productive and profitable.)? Let's all heed the lessons of the ancients who taught us such powerful leadership terms.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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Strength = Weakness

We all do a little self-talk from time to time. Okay, everyday we practice this technique whether we know it or not. It just seems to happen. We strategize options, consider our strengths, and then make decisions to move forward. We rely on what has worked for us in the past to help determine what the appropriate steps are moving forward. At least we have our strengths to rely on when faced with adversity.

Unless our strengths will do us no good.

Strengths Are No Good
You might be wondering if I've lost my mind, but hear me out. We all have skills and approaches that have proven to not only fit well with our personalities and comfort level in the workplace, but they have also brought us a measure of success. We rely on these approaches and use them frequently. Sometimes we are described as "driven" and we push hard for things to get accomplished. That is a good thing.

The problem arises when we are unable to recognize that in certain situations our passion for being "driven" is no longer an appropriate leadership behavior to work through a particular situation. Now what? Are we lost? Do we throw our hands up in the air? Or worse, do we let our emotions dictate our behavior which typically leads down a slippery slope of lost credibility?

It's Not About Strengths
The solution lies in the very early stages of the various conflicts and issues that present themselves in our lives. If we leverage our self-talk so intensely that we convince ourselves we should keep pushing for what we believe in, versus leveraging another leadership skill - humility - we risk never being able to solve problems collaboratively.

"If your leadership style is about winning at all costs, you are guaranteed to lose. However, if you are willing to leverage your passion with a healthy dose of humility, you are guaranteed to win."

How About You
In Jim Collins' terrific Harvard Business Review article he describes the potent combination of leadership skills that have driven organizations to incredible levels of success: an iron will and an incredible sense of humility. He calls these very unique individuals "Level 5 Leaders." Don't let your strengths inadvertently hurt your leadership. Are you Level 5 material?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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Powering Through

Sometimes we face challenges as leaders that burn a tremendous amount of energy in the moment. That moment can last days or even weeks. That moment can be downright draining.

Did any of us really believe that leading was going to be easy?

Expectations

Oh to be twenty-seven again as I landed my first management job. I was fired up, ready to make a difference, and had absolutely no idea what I was doing.

Sure I had "learned" from ineffective leaders both at part-time gigs as a teenager, and again in my first corporate-type position. But watching others struggle, and having to literally walk in their shoes, are two very different things.

I started to realize that leading was going to be anything but easy.

Attitude Is Everything

The more I encountered difficult issues however, the more I decided to forge ahead. The greater the conflict, the more I knew that I should be in the middle of it and not running the other way. I came to appreciate how important a positive attitude was relative to effective leadership. I wanted more...even if I didn't know what "more" meant.

"I ask not for a lighter burden, but for broader shoulders."

– Jewish Proverb

How About You

Now that I have more leadership miles on me, I'm able to understand what it is that I need to keep going. Interpersonal skills, a strong internal and external network, and the courage to keep powering through are all essential parts of my leadership journey. What is it that helps you keep moving forward?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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Social Risk?

In the health care industry we talk about risk a lot. Whether it has to do with patient safety, managing potential problems, or dealing with information technology threats, risk is a part of life. We don't have a corner on the term though, every business large or small has to deal with it.

But is going social a risk?

Nothing New

Much is written about the need for social media policies, guidelines, controls, and messaging in the corporate world. I think these are good ideas. Leaders and front line employees both need to understand the rules so they can do their work productively and appropriately. But is going social truly a new risk; or, is it simply the same risk we've always had in a more sleek package?

Know Your Stuff
One of the ongoing challenges when going social in any organization is the senior leadership's complete and total unwillingness to use and understand social tools. Far too often the nervous laughter and jokes accompany a question and raised eyebrow when social tools are being put to use in the workplace. What is also missed in that moment is that the social tools being used are building the brand...not tearing it down.

"If you don't use the tools you won't understand. How in the world can anyone lead when they don't know what they're talking about?"

Expectations
Perhaps I've set my expectations too high? Maybe I fell in to the trap of believing that because one billion people use facebook and other social tools that it might be a good idea to use them myself? Or it could just be that I have have a classic case of optimism bias? Regardless of the answer, I'm not convinced that going social presents anything so scary that organziations should consider not moving ahead.

How About You
Where do you fall on the social-is-a-risk continuum? Are you scurrying around your office trying to make sure you control every single tweet and post? Or, are you looking around your organization seeing hundreds and hundreds of potential brand ambassadors?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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The Knowledge Burden

I love my job. I don't mind if you think that's a lame thing to say. I don't mind if it sounds like I'm being some sort of rah-rah HR pro. The truth is there aren't a whole lot of people who can make that statement these days, and I for one am thankful that I can. I love my job...

...most of the time.

The Knowledge Blessing
One of the times I feel I can contribute most effectively is during periods of tension and stress, particularly when it comes to employee relations. Perhaps it is my upbringing (Dad was a United Methodist Minister and Mom was a Master's prepared Counselor); maybe it is my training in graduate school as a Social Worker; or perhaps it is simply a part of my DNA.

Whatever the reason, I seem to do well in moments of confrontation and conflict. That confidence has allowed me to manage my emotions not only during these difficult moments, but also before they happen. This point is often lost in discussions about pending changes or announcements. It seems that everyone is eager to be in the know on issues going on across the organization. That is, until they actually are aware of something negative or stressful that is going to happen, and then suddenly they aren't quite as excited to know what is on the horizon.

The Knowledge Burden

This is where true professionalism rises above the casual leader. Time and time again I've seen leaders complain that they are not part of the core leadership team; yet, once they are and realize the magnitude of the many complex issues being managed they can feel overwhelmed.

Knowing what is going on from a gossip perspective is far different than having to make major organizational decisions that impact people's lives and having to carry that knowledge with your for a period of time. Knowledge truly is a burden.

How About You
How do you support leaders new to the real knowledge game in your company? Do you expect them to simply be able to handle it because of their title? Or, do you acknowledge that leading at a high level is very demanding mentally and emotionally and offer to support them away from the meeting spotlight that shines so brightly on each member of that small group?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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